Columnist Says Inner-City Teachers Should Face Same Standard As Those In Rich Areas

In a column in the Grand Rapids Press (5/9), Dave Murray takes umbrage at "a comment from a Kent County educator who was angry about some of Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed school reforms, including that teachers and districts be held accountable for how much their students achieve." The teacher took issue with the notion that teachers in inner city areas should be responsible for producing the same results as those in affluent areas. Murray expressed the opinion that "Gov. Snyder is calling for the students of inner-city Detroit to get the same level of education as the students attending schools in East Grand Rapids." Murray notes that recently, Education Secretary Arne Duncan "described Detroit Public Schools as 'ground zero' in American education. The worst of the worst. Where was the outrage?"